Portrait of a nobleman, 17th century
Circa 1660-1670
A distinguished nobleman or wealthy citizen with long dark curly hair is depicted in a so-called kneeling portrait, placed against a dark drapery. The portrayed wears extremely fashionable and rich clothing from the third quarter of the seventeenth century, including a dark coat with silver buttons, wide layered sleeves, Brussels (?) lace and striking red-orange bows at the wrist and neck. At the hip he wears a rapier or dagger with a silver hilt in lobe style, typical of the first half of the seventeenth century.
The abundant use of lace and the elegant clothing may indicate an origin from the southern Netherlands or The Hague, where Parisian and Brussels fashion had great influence. The painting is not signed, but is stylistically associated with painters such as Pieter Nason, Charles Wautier and Abraham Lambertsz. the Temple.